The Survival and Life of a Senator
by Kian-Rai Delcam
Summary: A series of one-shots surrounding an AU where Padme survives RoTS and throughout the OT. Some humor, some fluff, some angst, little bit of everything in here.
1. One Last Time Before You Go

The past twenty-three years of her life had led to this.

Padme Amidala looked to the stars above, overcome with an emotion she thought she could never feel again. Pure, unadulterated joy at the end of an Empire and the return of democracy and justice to a weary galaxy. Yet, there was something else there. If one looked at her eyes, finely wrinkled with premature aging from stress and sorrow and laughter, they would see that their chestnut depths contained a certain grief. Cascading blues, violets, reds, and pinks lit up the Endor sky, far above the fire and smoke that remained from the battle. And from a funeral pyre.

Normally, the figure engulfed in flames presented an imposing figure. The deepest black was visible through the flames, and they reflected the light from the fireworks and and the fire around him. The man inside the armor, hidden from her sight, was responsible for millions of deaths, and had likely been directly responsible for dealing the death blow to hundreds. Darth Vader. The Emperor's assassin and a Sith Lord. Vader was remorseless and it seemed unfeeling. Obi-Wan Kenobi had said he was more machine than man. The galaxy would remember him as a monster, even as the few who knew spread the story of his redemption. Padme would remember him differently.

Even after being choked by him on Mustafar, realizing he had killed younglings, and hearing of his exploits after being trapped in that horrible suit, she still loved him. She always knew there was still good in him. Images of the Clone War hero danced in her head. While the galaxy wondered who he was before, Padme knew. Darth Vader was the man who liberated Togrutas while on Zygerria. Darth Vader was the man who was instrumental in taking back Geonosis to stop droid production in a terrible war. Darth Vader was the man who saved the Republic time and time again. She may have disagreed with the war, but she could not deny the compassion, leadership, and heroics Anakin Skywalker demonstrated during its course.

Yet, when Padme looked upon her twins' innocent faces, she knew she had to hide. She allowed Obi-Wan to fake the death of both herself and her believed to be unborn children and she even allowed them to be separated. It was something about hiding their Force signature from the Emperor, or so Master Yoda said. She settled for returning to Alderaan with her closest friend, Bail Organa, and daughter, while Obi-Wan swore (she made sure he was on his knees promising his lightsaber if he would fail Luke) to train and protect Luke on Tatooine. Disguised as a royal guard (so a helmet could disguise part of her face), she cut and dyed her beautiful hair, traded her wardrobe for plain clothes, and waited, occasionally making the trip to the planet with two suns when the opportunity rose. When she discovered Ahsoka's survival, she refused to sit by any longer and became a Fulcrum agent. All of this, while avoiding Darth Vader like the rakghoul plague.

She sighs as she pulls back from her reminiscing, and walks up to her son, still holding the torch that lit the pyre. She was grateful he was honoring the Jedi's tradition, but as the hero of the Rebellion, he needed to be seen at the celebration with the Ewoks. "Luke," she says simply.

He turns and smiles, and Padme holds on to his bright smile as tight as her heart can bear. He may have inherited her height, but Luke certainly had his father's smile. Padme refuses to let the tears forming to fall. She had been strong for this long and she could hold on longer. This was how she would remember Anakin Skywalker, smiling. But, time was beginning to catch up with her, as it did Master Yoda and Obi-Wan. Her memory of it began to fade. She once held a more romantic belief that you could never forget your lover's smile. Time was proving her wrong.

The party is unexpectedly boisterous. As she and Luke join the celebration, Leia going to hug her brother and then her mother, she allows the joy of the Empire's defeat to plaster a smile on her face. They had lost loved ones and friends along the way, but Padme knew that her parents, Bail and Breha, Obi-Wan and Yoda, and so many more must be smiling down on them. Padme could not feel the Force in the way the Jedi did, but something simply felt right and balanced. She extends a warm hand to Han Solo with a knowing smile as the dancing continues in earnest. And she watches and she swears she tried to participate. At least, she tried until a strange nudge guided her to look at Luke.

His back was turned away from them and Leia was behind him, pulling him back to join them. Leia, although confused about her feelings toward her biological father, recognized that Luke was greatly saddened by his sacrifice. She was wise and selfless, similar to her beloved mother. Leia pulls him back to be among friends, murmuring a soft condolence with a warm smile (she must of inherited Anakin's smile as well), and for a fleeting moment, Padme's heart stops.

Nearly translucent with a soft, blue tinge, Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan stand (or in Yoda's case, sit) together observing the proceedings with contentment evident on their faces. But their shocking appearance went largely unnoticed when she saw who stood next to them. He was resplendent in Jedi robes, ones that he only occasionally wore while in the Temple. His eyes were warm and his face at peace, although their sky-blue depths hold a hint of mischievousness. He looks young, handsome, and strong, just as she remembered. His eyes are locked onto hers with the intensity of a thousand suns, and despite the peace on his face, she could see the apology in them. Then, he smiles and Padme finds it hard to breathe. Wide, gleaming, and full of pride as his eyes fall on his twins, their children, and Padme knows. Then, the moment is over and he is gone.

But it's okay. He was finally at peace and so was she.

 **A/N: Just a series of one-shots surrounding an AU where Padme survives RoTS. This was written for roguedarthskywalker on Tumblr!**


	2. Reminiscence

The Millennium Falcon was rarely host to such effervescent laughter. More often than not, it was a somber environment. It had seen the destruction of Alderaan, the death of one of the last Jedi Masters, and countless battles in which countless lives had been lost. It had also seen the death of an Empire today. As such, the mood was certainly not somber. Anakin Skywalker watches on from beyond, finally seeing what he robbed himself of all those years ago.

Padme Amidala lounged in the booth behind the holochess table next to one of her oldest friends. Ahsoka Tano grinned, looking more like her younger self than she had in years, as Padme's grown children (and she suspected, her soon to be son-in-law), and the Wookie, Chewbacca, allowed their laughter to die down.

"Poor Rex quickly learned to hate the phrase 'Up and away'. Retaking Geonosis was a hard fight, but his reaction to being thrown off the wall almost made the whole battle worth it. And that's not the only, shall we say, prank, we pulled on him," Anakin smiles as Ahsoka's eyes glow with the vibrancy of the Living Force at the memory.

The smuggler's amusement is rather easy to sense in the Force, even as he acts unsurprised by the amusing story. "After sticking around with Luke and hearing about the Jedi's exploits during the Clone Wars, I'm not too surprised. You and your Force tricks make it hard to want to work with you all."

Anakin rolls his eyes, or at least feels that he does. He couldn't say he truly liked this scoundrel, although he admitted he was biased in his reasoning. _Yes, and smugglers were so easy to work with as well, he thinks to himself._

Luke takes the comment in stride, "Of course, Han. And you were so easy to work with as well." Anakin smiles, although perturbed by the comment; since Cloud City, he had been under the impression Han Solo and Luke Skywalker had been close friends since their reported meeting on Tatooine.

Chewbacca's growl-like laughter echoes throughout the cabin as he expresses his agreement then shrugs his shoulders when the aforementioned rebel shoots him a look. Han holds out his arms, the gesture seeming to say, "Who? Me?" as Leia cuffs his shoulder good naturedly. Padme laughs, the sound still as melodious as Anakin remembered it. "I can name someone who was harder to work with; Hondo Ohnaka. I remember having to help send a ransom of spice and credits to him in exchange for Count Dooku," she says. If Obi-Wan was there with him, Anakin likely would have laughed. The pirate had caused Obi-Wan in particular multiple headaches.

"Every spacer worth their ship has heard of that Weequay. Apparently, he was a minor player in the Clone Wars, despite being a pirate," Han interrupts.

"He also helped a rebel on Lothal, Ezra Bridger, if I remember correctly," Leia recalls fondly as Han tightens his grip on her.

Padme smiles at her daughter, she too remembered the young Jedi with an equal measure of fondness and sadness; she had assisted Leia with delivering a ship to him and the other rebels there years ago. It saddened her greatly to hear of his death on his home world after its liberation. "He is also the only pirate to capture a Sith Lord, a Jedi Master, and a Jedi Knight on the same day. Your father wasn't particularly about pleased having to make that report to the Council. You quite enjoyed it, though, didn't you 'Soka?"

 _I didn't stop hearing about it for days, especially after she told Captain Rex,_ Anakin thinks with a small measure of disgruntled humor.

Ahsoka's fanged smile answers the question. "Obi-Wan was more forthcoming with the details, but even he held back a bit. From what I understand, barbs were exchanged, Dooku was called old, Anakin was called insolent, and Obi-Wan focused on antagonizing the Count. They had to be rescued by a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks." We weren't rescued, Anakin imagines himself crossing his arms in indignant protest, We had the situation under my complete control.

"And they made multiple escape attempts while chained to Dooku," Padme's eye are alight with laughter, although she holds it in. Her companions are not quite as reserved as the Nubian native.

 _We almost made it too, if we didn't have to drag that old menace with us,_ the former Sith Lord recalls, _If only Obi-Wan would have dropped him._

"Weren't Kenobi and Va-," Han stops himself as the laughter dies at the taboo syllable and he coughs before correcting himself, "Weren't Kenobi and Skywalker, your dad, not you kid, supposed to be the Jedi's best? How did they let themselves get captured?"

The Togruta's smile is wide enough to span the galaxy, both Anakin and Padme observe, "From what I understand, they either got drunk, or got drunk and were subsequently drugged by their drinks. Either way, I still can't believe they allowed themselves to drink in the pirates' presence."

Luke nudges Han, as if to insuiniate Han would do such a thing and Anakin silently agrees. "I know you were a Senator, mother, but did you ever see him in action?" Luke asks before Han can retaliate.

Padme nods, "Of course, even before we were married. He was my bodyguard right before the start of the Clone Wars, and into the first days of the conflict. You should have seen him on Geonosis the day the war began. We were chained to pillars about to be executed and he used the reek attacking him to break his chains. Then, he tamed the creature with a Jedi mind trick of some sort, killed the nexu going after me, and we, if you believe it, rode it to save Obi-Wan and he jumped on as well. Shortly after Master Windu and his Jedi arrived, and the first battle of the Clone Wars began."

If Anakin's face were seen by Padme in that moment, she would have seen the pride and adoration for her reflected in the stars of his eyes. Inside, however, he is torn. The Empire, or what would be left of it in the coming years, would remember that battle differently. It was a lie he had helped to spread at his dark master's bidding. The battle in Petranaki Arena, per Imperial propaganda against the Jedi, interrupted the lawful execution of Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Senator Padme Amidala, and was interrupted by Jedi Master Mace Windu and his "criminal gang."

By the end of her tale, even Chewbacca is leaning forward in both suspense and awe. Han, however, is dubious. "Sounds like a tall tale to me."

Before Anakin can even think of an unheard witty response, his wife beats him to it. "Ask Artoo if you won't take my word for it. Threepio's head somehow got attached to a battle droid after Artoo pushed him onto a factory conveyor belt. I thought I would go insane from his complaining after the fact. I even had to wipe his memory core!"

This time, Anakin joins in the laughter, the sound so pure it reaches his children and his former Padawan. And this time, he is grateful he remains unseen from his family, for if they could see him, he was sure that he could still cry in relief that the war was over.

 **A/N: Written for IHaveARandom on Tumblr by request. Takes place directly after RoTJ. Reviews, follows, and favorites are much appreciated**


End file.
